By Yo-Yo Ma Gives Surprise Performance at COVID Vaccine Site After Getting Jab
A tablespoon of sugar can help get the drug down, but when it comes to an injection in the arm, there’s nothing more relaxing than a little music to get the job done, especially when it’s being performed by world-class cellist Yo -I Ma.
That’s exactly what some lucky few who got their COVID-19 vaccines got at the Berkshire Community College field clinic after Yo-Yo Ma received her second dose of inoculation.
While waiting for his 15-minute observation period, Yo-Yo Ma sat down to play a masked and socially distant impromptu concert for his fellow “inoculars.”
“[He] I wanted to give something back, ”said Richard Hall of the Berkshire COVID-19 Vaccine Collaborative in an interview with The Berkshire Eagle.
After the university released pictures of Yo-Yo Ma’s anti-virus vaccination performance on their Facebook, the post (ironically) went viral, but in a good way.
This mini concert is not the first time that Yo-Yo Ma has used her music as a calming force during the pandemic. The day of his second shot marked a year to the day of a series of performances that he had launched with the hashtag #SongsOfComfort.
“In these anxious days, I wanted to find a way to keep sharing some comforting music,” he tweeted in March 2020. The first pick from his #SongsOfComfort series was Dvorák’s. Go home.
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But the clinic concert was not Yo-Yo Ma’s debut in the face of an emerging pandemic either. Last September, he teamed up with classical pianist Emanuel Ax for a live virtual concert meant to bring comfort to essential workers, which the couple followed with a series of on-site spontaneous concerts for people working on the front line of the pandemic.
“This is really dedicated to all the people who are going through difficult times,” he said. Reuters. “Lost people who are moving forward, leading a strenuous life and for a long time without knowing if there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
What if you still have trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? Just close your eyes, keep moving forward, and let the music guide you.
(CLOCK the video of Yo-Yo Ma playing for other vaccine recipients below).
SHARE this heartwarming performance with friends on social media …
